Northwire Canada EditionThursday, July 16, 2026
Northwire
HWY 0.370 +0.0% FCI 0.385 +1.3% GGAU 0.180 −5.3% KIRO 0.640 +0.0% LBNK 0.430 +0.0% BARU 0.040 +0.0% VCU 1.08 −5.3% NOBL 0.100 +0.0% SHL 0.350 −1.4% MTS 0.130 +0.0% FYL 0.090 +0.0% NUAG 5.49 +0.7% CAM 0.330 −1.5% SYH 0.405 +0.0% LOT 0.040 +0.0% CPL 0.210 +10.5% HWY 0.370 +0.0% FCI 0.385 +1.3% GGAU 0.180 −5.3% KIRO 0.640 +0.0% LBNK 0.430 +0.0% BARU 0.040 +0.0% VCU 1.08 −5.3% NOBL 0.100 +0.0% SHL 0.350 −1.4% MTS 0.130 +0.0% FYL 0.090 +0.0% NUAG 5.49 +0.7% CAM 0.330 −1.5% SYH 0.405 +0.0% LOT 0.040 +0.0% CPL 0.210 +10.5%
M&A / Property

ARTIS AND RFA CAPITAL COMPLETE ARRANGEMENT TRANSACTION

RFA · Price

Executive Summary

  • Artis Real Estate Investment Trust (“Artis”) and RFA Financial Inc. have completed their combination under a statutory plan of arrangement, with RFA acquiring 100% of Artis’s common units and preferred units.
  • The transaction creates a scaled Canadian financial‑services platform that includes a Schedule I bank, mortgage origination/servicing businesses, and a diversified commercial real‑estate portfolio, expected to deliver stable earnings and a sustainable dividend profile.
  • Post‑closing, RFA will list new securities on the TSX (RFA, RFA.PR.E, RFA.PR.I) while Artis’s units will be delisted; governance structures for the combined entity have been established.

Key Details

  • Structure of Arrangement
  • RFA acquired all outstanding Artis common units, Series E preferred units and Series I preferred units.
  • Artis common unitholders received one pre‑consolidation RFA common share per unit; those shares were later consolidated on a 1‑post‑share : 3‑pre‑shares basis.
  • Series E and Series I preferred unitholders received one RFA preferred share for each respective Artis preferred unit; the preferred shares were not subject to consolidation.

  • Post‑transaction Share Count (post‑consolidation)

  • Common shares: 46,605,485
  • Series E preferred shares: 2,820,409
  • Series I preferred shares: 4,247,256

  • TSX Listings

  • RFA common shares to trade under ticker “RFA”.
  • RFA Series E preferred shares to trade under ticker “RFA.PR.E”.
  • RFA Series I preferred shares to trade under ticker “RFA.PR.I”.
  • Expected market open for trading: on or about 2026‑02‑04.
  • Artis units expected to be delisted at close of market on 2026‑02‑03.

  • Governance

  • New RFA board of directors (9 members): Ben Rodney (CEO), five directors nominated by former Artis trustees, and three current RFA directors.
  • Management team includes: Ben Rodney (President & CEO), Samir Manji (Executive Chair), Jaclyn Koenig (CFO), Melody Lo (COO), Kara Watson (EVP, Legal & Corporate Secretary).

  • Consideration Summary

  • Artis common unitholders → 1 pre‑consolidation RFA common share per unit → later consolidated 3‑to‑1.
  • Artis Series E preferred unitholders → 1 RFA Series E preferred share per unit (no consolidation).
  • Artis Series I preferred unitholders → 1 RFA Series I preferred share per unit (no consolidation).

  • Regulatory & Reporting

  • Upon closing, RFA became a reporting issuer in all Canadian provinces and territories.
  • Artis will cease to be a reporting issuer; an early‑warning report will be filed by RFA.

  • Advisors

  • Financial advisors: CIBC World Markets (Artis), BMO Capital Markets (RFA).
  • Legal advisors: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP (Artis), Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (RFA).
  • Independent fairness opinion for Artis provided by Haywood Securities Inc.

  • Strategic Rationale

  • Combines RFA’s banking and mortgage businesses with Artis’s real‑estate portfolio, creating a diversified platform with multiple growth pathways, enhanced capital access, and potential for higher long‑term returns.

Notable Quotes

“We are very pleased to confirm the successful closing of this transformative transaction,” – Samir Manji, Executive Chair, RFA Financial.

“By combining RFA's expanding banking and mortgage businesses with Artis's established real estate platform, we have created a diversified company with multiple pathways for growth…” – Ben Rodney, President & CEO, RFA Financial.

Read the original news release →

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